In the Blinding Darkness
by snarryvader81
Summary: During Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine has a vision of Anakin, as Vader, betraying and killing him. However, in this vision he also sees that Luke Skywalker could potentally fall to the dark side. Palpatine decides to wait and turn Luke instead of Anakin.
1. Prologue: Lord Sidious's Vision

_The blinding darkness spiraled around him infinitely, enveloping him. His senses stood on edge as the Force pulsated with unimaginable power. His mind was freed of all physical restraint, and he forgot any and all that he had once known - the only thing that existed now was this vision, this darkness._

_But suddenly something appeared in the blackness, its pale color standing out starkly against the backdrop. At first all he saw was a peachy white blotch, which slowly began to take shape, gaining a mouth, a nose, blond hair and two blue eyes, which came together to make a unique face, one that belonged to Anakin Skywalker._

_Skywalker smiled, revealing pearly white teeth, but his friendly expression soon grew sinister, and the pale blue pigment drained from his eyes, only to be replaced by a sickly yellow._

_Skywalker's smile, now sadistic, didn't fade as his mirror reflection appeared in front of him. The reflection's face was cold and expressionless, seemingly more mechanical than human. Slowly, black leached over it, centimeter by centimeter, forming a grotesque, skull-like breath mask._

_Anakin stared into the mask's hollow, black sockets, still smiling. On the other side of the mirror, the masked man raised a gloved hand and struck out with it. Anakin shattered into fragments and was gone._

"_You shall be known as Darth . . . Vader . . ." _

_The familiar voice echoed through the darkness, a memory of something yet to be, something that had already happened, of something that may never come to pass. _

_And then he was falling, wildly spiraling downwards, or forwards, or both. He barely noticed when his free fall had stopped, but his attention was drawn to the shadowy figures in front of him._

_Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor._

_The words pounded harshly in his mind, not having been spoken yet somehow known to him._

_Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor._

_Sidious flailed in Vader's outstretched hands, Force Lightening sparking from his fingertips. His apprentice had betrayed him. Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker, had betrayed him. Why?_

_My son. My son. My son. My son. My son!_

_The vision of Darth Sidious demise at Vader's hand dissolved before his eyes, and was replaced Padme Amidala, in labor._

"_Luke - Luke—"_

_The boy, the male twin. As he watched, Luke Skywalker grew up before his very eyes. Destiny surrounded him like a cloak. He was great, truly great._

_But he had a weakness._

_Red hair, green eyes—_

_Jade. Jade. Jade. Jade._

_As he watched, the pale blue pigment of Luke Skywalker's eyes drained away, only to be replaced by a sickly yellow, unique to the Sith. _

"_You shall be known as Darth—"_

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's eyes snapped open, and his breathing slowed. He was still for a moment, absorbing what his vision had revealed to him. It was truly incredible.

Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, so close to the Dark Side, so easily manipulated, controlled, would betray him.

Betray him for . . . Luke Skywalker, his son.

But the boy . . . Anakin's unborn child, so powerful with the Force, could be turned. _Would_ be turned.

Palpatine was silent for a moment. Anakin, back on Coruscant after valiantly 'rescuing' him, would already know of Amidala's pregnancy. And he had already had the first dream, just as he had foreseen. Everything was going exactly to plan. All he needed to do was wait, at this point, until Anakin became desperate, and then tell him a little story about Plagueis, his own former master.

Killed in his sleep by his apprentice. Killed . . . in his sleep. Betrayed. Killed. Murdered.

Almost like being thrown down an elevator shaft.

Palpatine closed his eyes, reaching out with his feelings. Was the vision true?

_Yes, yes_,the Force replied, thrumming with honesty. _Sidious shall be betrayed. Betrayed! The Empire shall fall!_

Should he wait, wait for Luke Skywalker?

_Yes, yes, wait! Wait for the boy!_

Palpatine slowly opened his eyes. He was silent for a moment, contemplating his options. This was an unexpected obstacle. Very unexpected. Not in all his years would he have thought that Anakin, once a Sith, would actually kill him. Oh yes, he would think about it. He would plot, and scheme, but he was sure the boy would never be able to actually do it.

But he would. And he, Darth Sidious, would die.

He couldn't even be prepared, as he didn't know when. Six years? Ten years? Fifteen? Eighteen? Twenty?

Palpatine drummed his fingers on his desk in a steady rhythm, concentrating on all the things that had been implied through the vision, not told directly.

Obviously, Anakin would be turned to the Dark Side.

Obviously, the Republic would fall, and his Sith Empire would take control, with him as the Emperor.

Padme Amidala would have twins, and at least one of them, the boy, Luke Skywalker, would survive.

And because of him, Anakin would betray and murder his master.

That wouldn't do.

He, the greatest Sith in the history of the Order, would _not_ be killed by a wayward apprentice.

It just wouldn't do.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This idea came to me in the bath tub, of all places. I'd never really considered Palpatine not turning Anakin and instead waiting and turning Luke to the Dark Side, so I decided to give it a shot.

-snarryvader81 (aka Anna)


	2. And The Water Ran Still

_Sixteen Years Later_

Parry. Slash. Swipe. Deflect. Thrust. Chop.

All of her surroundings became fuzzy as she concentrated on the lightsaber in her hand, and the green blade of her opponent's weapon. Reaching out with her feelings, she tried to predict his next move, and the best way to counter it.

Slash. Parry.

She was losing, that much was clear, but she wouldn't be defeated without a fight. Swinging her blue saber in a wide ark, she managed to graze his midsection. He ignored the wound and used the opportunity to push her backwards with the Force. Caught off guard by this attack, she had no time to react before she found herself flying backwards. Her opponent quickly summoned her lightsaber to him, effectively disarming her.

She hit the wall roughly and slid downwards, landing in an inelegant heap on the floor.

"Ow," Mara Jade grunted out, glaring up at Luke Skywalker. The boy smirked at her and turned her lightsaber over in his hands.

"I think I might keep this - start a collection of my own. Like that General Grievous, you know?"

"Give me it," she growled. Luke rolled his eyes and threw it in her direction. With lightening fast speed, she reached up and snatched it out of the air.

"Touchy, touchy," said Luke, hooking his own lightsaber onto his belt. "Are we a sore loser today? You'd think you'd be used to it by now . . ."

Mara glared. "I could beat you any day."

"But not today, apparently."

"I was _distracted_."

"Whatever you say, Mara."

"I'm at the top of my class, Skywalker."

"Under me," he said haughtily.

"Don't you have your own classes to be at?" Mara demanded, annoyed. She pulled herself to her feet.

"Not right now. Actually, I'm supposed to be mediating."

"Then why aren't you? Isn't that one of your strengths?"

"Yes. But I'd rather duel with you. I find it more . . . _stimulating_."

"How nice," snapped Mara. "I hope Kenobi makes you clean 'freshers for the next two weeks."

Luke huffed. "Well, Jade, what are you supposed to be doing right now?"

"Practicing my lightsaber skills."

"And you have. Now come meditate with me."

"No."

"Yes," said Luke, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the door. "I dueled with you, now you meditate with me."

"I hate meditating!"

"Of course you do. You have no patience."

"I have enough patience to deal with you," she snapped, trotting to keep up with the fast pace Luke set.

"And I have enough to deal with you. We deal with each other."

Mara sneered and opened her mouth to reply, but Luke abruptly darted into a side room, cutting her off.

"What is it?" she demanded, but Luke thrust a hand over her mouth.

"Be quiet," he whispered. Glaring, she forcibly removed his hand and turned around to peek around the side of the open door.

Luke leaned over to look out as well, pressing against her. Mara looked over her shoulder and glared, but Luke gestured impatiently at the door. She slowly turned her head back around, just in time to see Obi-Wan Kenobi walk by.

The man paused a few feet away from their hiding place. "Have you seen my padawan?" he asked a passing healer.

The blue Twi'lek shook her head. "No, Master Kenobi. I haven't seen Skywalker anywhere."

"Thank you," he said, sounding discouraged. The healer and Jedi Master parted ways.

Luke slumped backwards in relief. "Thank my various gods. He probably _would've_ made me clean 'freshers for the next year and half. He's too strict."

"But yet you never seem to do what he wants you to," said Mara, leaning back against him.

"Because I have a mind of my own. Apparently the trait runs in the family."

Mara raised an eyebrow at him, looking puzzled for a second. Then it seemed to click into place. "Oh, yes. He was your father's master, too, wasn't he? The famous Anakin Skywalker."

"Infamous, now," said Luke.

Mara nodded. "The hero of the Clone Wars, kicked out of the order sixteen years ago for marrying. I remember now. We read about him—"

"In history, yes. I remember the incredible awkwardness of the moment more than the actual lesson."

Mara slowly peeked out the door again. "All's clear. So are we going to meditate, or what?"

Luke grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door. "Come on!"

"Where, exactly, do you have in mind?" she demanded after several minutes of jogging through various long corridors.

"The Room of a Thousand Fountains."

Mara's eyes widened. "Oh! I . . . actually don't mind meditating there," she admitted, flushing.

"Really?" said Luke, an eyebrow jetting up in surprise.

"Well . . . it's just that it's so peaceful. It's easy to relax there."

Luke shook his head, muttering something along the lines of "amazing" under his breath. He turned and started down a long flight of stairs.

Suddenly, something whooshed past his head. He ducked instinctively, and drew his lightsaber. He glanced from side to side, only to spot Mara standing at the bottom of the stairs, smirking up at him.

"I love doing that," she said to him, putting her hands on her hips and flinging her padawan braid over her shoulder.

Luke sighed in exasperation and put his lightsaber away before launching himself into the air, flipping, and then landing softly beside Mara.

She scowled. "Show off."

"One of my better qualities, or so I'm told."

"Right," Mara muttered, turning and heading down the hallway in the direction of The Room of a Thousand Fountains.

Luke ran after her, and they didn't stop until they reached the entrance of the Room.

Slowly walking down one of the many pathways, Mara sighed in appreciation of the peace and serenity that radiated throughout the large space. Luke followed her until he eyed a spot that he thought would be conducive for meditating. He diverted from the path and gracefully sat down on a small bench. A stem from a large blue plant with purple blossoms brushed the side of Luke's cheek, but he didn't seem to notice or care.

Mara settled into a spot on the ground, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes.

Luke sighed quietly and reached out with his feelings, letting the Force flow through him. Everything was calm, as it usually was in the Jedi Temple. The Force was clouded with the Dark Side as it usually was, though Luke could still sense every Jedi in the temple, and the bustling city beyond the building's walls.

Suddenly, Luke's eyes snapped open. The Room of a Thousand Fountains, usually filled with the low noise of wildlife and water, had become deathly silent.

His eyes sought out Mara, only to find the girl had disappeared.

"Mara?" called Luke, slowly standing up. "Mara!"

There was no reply.

Luke slowly began to walk through the winding paths of the Room, but Mara was nowhere to be found. Finally, after what seemed like a millennium of walking, the path came to a dead end at an ornate fountain, one that Luke couldn't recall ever having seen in the Room.

Luke approached the fountain and each step he took seemed heavy. Finally, he was able to look into the water.

The boy sighed in relief when all that he found was normal, clear liquid. Though, his relief was short lived. Before his very eyes, the water stopped rippling and became still.

Luke stared at it for a moment before impulsively reaching down and running his hand over the surface of the water.

At his touch, the water turned red.

Luke recoiled as if burned, though the water still changed to that awful scarlet red that looked so much like . . . blood. Soon all the water had changed to blood, and slowly an image began to appear on its surface.

Luke wanted to look away, but he found his eyes couldn't be torn away from the image in the fountain.

Dead Jedi. So many dead Jedi.

Luke shuddered violently.

"Luke."

The voice that was suddenly calling his name seemed familiar to him somehow, though he couldn't place it. He was too busy looking at the dead Jedi.

"Luke!"

It was a female voice, and it was getting louder.

"Luke! Wake up!"

Luke Skywalker opened his eyes. Mara Jade looked back at him. She smiled.

"Welcome back to the world of the living."

"What?" asked Luke dumbly. His surroundings slowly registered in his horror filled mind. He was still sitting on that little bench next to the blue plant with purple blossoms. The Room of a Thousand Fountains was still filled with white noise. Mara was right in front of him, in the same clothes she had been wearing earlier that day.

It hadn't been real.

"You've been in a bloody meditative trance for _six hours_. You've missed dinner, too. At least Kenobi is happy that you were obeying him for once. Although, he was going on about how he needed to talk to you about . . . _something _- I don't know what. I never really listen to him when he rants."

Luke laughed weakly. "Then - then I better go and see him, I guess."

Mara nodded. "You should."

Luke shakily got up and followed Mara out of the Room, but not before glancing at one of the fountains. The water was still flowing, and it was clear.

It wasn't real.

That's what he kept telling himself.

It wasn't real.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I got the idea of the water in the Room of a Thousand Fountains going still from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Kreia makes a comment about it.

-snarryvader81 (aka Anna)


	3. To Choose

The proof that Anakin Skywalker had broken the Jedi Code to wed Senator Padme Amidala had been sent to the Council anonymously, though the wedding certificate proved to be authentic. After a long debate among the Council members, a compromise was reached. Since some did in fact believe Anakin to be the "Chosen One", destined to bring balance to the Force, and Anakin himself was such a public figure for the Jedi, they decided to give him a second chance. He could immediately divorce the Senator, and the whole scandal would be covered up, or he could refuse, and be expelled.

In the end, Anakin refused.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was crushed. For all of their problems, he and Anakin had been good friends. But, not good enough, it seemed, as he hadn't even realized that his own padawan had gotten married right under his very nose.

His conflicting feelings built up inside him for a time, until one night, he had a dream.

_Anakin's face, those yellow eyes, then that mask, that awful black mask—_

Had a catastrophe been diverted, or were the images in the dream jut the products of his overactive imagination?

To be truthful, he'd rather not know.

Luke Skywalker had been brought to the Jedi Temple shortly after Anakin's expulsion. Obi-Wan watched him grow for ten years, and couldn't help but noticing the similarities between he and Anakin.

Anakin's hair, Anakin's eyes, Anakin's temper.

When he took Luke as his padawan, he swore to the Force that he wouldn't fail with him as he had with Anakin.

And so far, that had proved to be difficult.

Luke was rebellious, to say the least. And his friendship with Mara Jade worried him.

They'd been close friends since the creche, which was fairly normal. Younglings tended to form friendships with one another during that time, though most of them drifted apart by the time they were padawans.

Luke and Mara hadn't.

Nor did either of them have many friends other than each other. Luke was fairly outgoing, but Mara wasn't. They seemed to have their own little world all to themselves.

Obi-Wan was afraid that Luke and Mara's relationship may, in the end, parallel Anakin and Padme's.

Obi-Wan was jolted from his musings by the low 'swish' of the door opening. He looked to the entrance in time to see Luke Skywalker dart into the room.

"Master," the boy said, self consciously smoothing his robe.

"Luke," Obi-Wan replied, sighing. "I've been looking for you for hours—"

"But I was just—"

"Meditating, I know. And you're not in trouble, as that is exactly what I asked you to do. However, Mara Jade wasn't supposed to accompany you."

Luke shrugged nonchalantly, moving into the small kitchenette for a glass of water. He and Obi-Wan had had this conversation many times before, so it wasn't as if he was concerned.

"She was finished with 'saber training," he said, raising the glass to his lips.

"Which she did alone, just as you were supposed to meditate alone."

Luke didn't correct his Master on his wrong assumption.

Obi-Wan let out an exasperated breath. "Luke, your friendship with Mara concerns me."

"Don't I know it?" muttered Luke, rolling his eyes.

"Luke!" snapped Obi-Wan. "This is a serious matter!"

"Of course it is. It wouldn't be to any normal person, but to us Jedi, it's the world."

"Jedi are not normal people, Luke, and they cannot have attachments."

"I know," Luke singsonged, his annoyance seeping through.

Obi-Wan stood up abruptly and advanced towards the kitchen. "Tell me, Luke . . . tell me, if a Sith was about to either kill Mara or a blow up a building full of innocent civilians, who would you try to save?"

"The civilians," answered Luke automatically, even though he was disturbed to find that he wasn't completely sure.

Obi-Wan stared at him with suspicion, almost as if he could sense his padawan's indecision. Luke carefully reexamined his shields and was relieved to find them completely intact.

"The civilians, of course," Luke replied. "Mara is a Jedi. She's pledged her life to the Order, and she can't be put before innocent people." The words tasted bad in his mouth, and Luke knew at that moment who he would choose in that situation.

Mara.

He'd choose her without a second thought.

Luke felt a stab of discomfort at that. He shouldn't be thinking this way, it wasn't . . . Jedi-like. The civilians come first, not her . . .

But, to him, she came first. Even though something like that shouldn't matter to a Jedi, it mattered to him.

"Why were you looking for me earlier?" he said, forcibly pushing his contradicting thoughts from the forefront of his mind.

Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment longer before turning away and speaking. "The Council wants to meet with us. We're to go on a mission."

"That's good," said Luke, nodding. "Nice . . . change of scenery. What do they want us to do?"

"I don't know. We're to meet with them tomorrow morning. So, I suggest you get some sleep. Its late as is."

With a last look, Obi-Wan left the room, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Chapter's finally up! The next few chapters should explain more about things like what happened to Leia, etc, etc.

Thanks for reviewing!

Anna


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